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Village of Franklin confirms $989,990 in fraudulent wire transfers; FBI notified
Summary
The chair told the council that altered public records and fraudulent wire transfers from the village general fund resulted in a $989,990 loss; the village has recovered a portion of funds and is cooperating with local law enforcement and the FBI. Officials said details are limited while the criminal investigation continues.
The Village of Franklin announced at its May 11 council meeting that fraudulent wire transfers totaling $989,990 were taken from the village general fund and that the incident is the subject of an ongoing law‑enforcement investigation.
The council chair read a prepared statement saying documents released in response to a public‑records request were later altered and shared on social media, prematurely exposing information. "We are working closely with law enforcement to fully understand what occurred and to hold those responsible accountable," the chair said. The statement confirmed the wire transfers and added, "A portion of the funds have been recovered, and additional recovery efforts are underway."
The chair said the village reported the matter immediately to local law enforcement and that the chief of police contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The statement said the village is pursuing "all available legal remedies, including both criminal and civil actions to recover the remaining funds," but that specific investigative details cannot be shared at this time so as not to interfere with recovery efforts.
The announcement came before the public‑comment period and prompted several residents to raise concerns about recent personnel decisions and overall transparency; those remarks were delivered as public comment and did not alter the council's statement. Council members did not vote on any emergency measures at the meeting; the chair said officials will provide updates "as appropriate, consistent with protecting the integrity of the investigation and ongoing recovery efforts."
